


Snakes

by MusicalRaven



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Body Horror, Cecil Might be Human or Inhuman, Cecil is a Dork, Fluff, Freaked Out Carlos, M/M, POV Carlos (Welcome to Night Vale), Snakes, Tall Cecil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-06
Updated: 2015-04-06
Packaged: 2018-03-21 12:10:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3691779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicalRaven/pseuds/MusicalRaven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carlos wakes up one morning with several...interesting additions to his body</p>
            </blockquote>





	Snakes

Every time Carlos thought things were settling down in Night Vale, every time he started to relax, something came along and knocked him off his feet. Often quite literally. This time though, it was different. It wasn't some unseen force trying to destroy Night Vale. Not some new scientific discovery to be made. Not Cecil trying to cook. No this was- This- Well to be honest, he didn't know what to make of this. Strangely, the only thought he had was, "Cecil is going to be so disappointed."

See, this morning, he'd woken up quite normally. Shivering and annoyed because Cecil had stolen the blankets again in his sleep, making himself a Cecil burrito. But like always, Carlos just sighed and kissed his boyfriend's forehead, once again swearing he'd talk to him about getting their own beds. And once again noting in the back of his mind that if he did, Cecil would just let his whole body droop, his eyes downcast, and reluctantly mumble agreement, which would just make Carlos unable to go foreword with the decision and they'd just be right back where they started.

After the lengthy debate on this issue with himself, he finally resigned himself to another night of Cecil, Blanket Hog and got to his feet. He shuffled to the bathroom and yawned, as on par with ritual. He got out his toothbrush, placed an exact 5cm by 5cm dollop of toothpaste on the bristles, and watered it down before glancing up at the mirror as he began to brush his teeth. However, before the minty fresh and farm fresh toothpaste could reach his teeth, he glanced his reflection and dropped his toothbrush with a screech of surprise, jumping back and hitting into the towel rack which of course he'd insisted should be right behind them for connivance, not anticipating a situation in which he'd jump back in surprise. Had he been focused on anything other than his appearance, he would have chased himself for not taking in every possible outcome of having the towel rack in that place. If Cecil had chosen the spot, he would have been sure to think of three times as many possible events, however seemingly unlikely.

He openly gaped at his reflection, wishing he was seeing things, but knowing the next mass hallucination wasn't scheduled until next Thursday. Which could only mean one thing. He had suddenly sprouted snakes for hair, and he had no idea how or why.

The five _Oxyuranus microlepidotus_ looked very content curled up on his head like vaguely moving dreadlocks. They didn't even seem fazed by his sudden jumping, which was good for him, Carlos supposed. He did have to wonder on his luck however, as these were one of the most venomous snakes alive. One bite and he was dead, which was the only thought keeping his scientific curiosity at bay. That didn't stop the endless amount of questions running through his head, most prevalent was how were they attached to his skull? They obviously had to be. When they shifted, he could feel the slight tug of skin and muscle reacting as if they were another appendage. He knew with barely any thought that he needed to get to the lab as soon as possible. He couldn't take the main roads of course. Too many municipally sanctioned potholes. He'd have to take a back route.

Carlos stared at the sleeping snakes for a few more seconds, reaching up a hand but snatching it back at the last second. Gloves. He'd touch them when he had gloves and protective eye gear. He'd rather not die because he was so hasty in doing science.

He forced his eyes away from the mirror and peaked back into the bedroom, where Cecil still lay, cocooned in his blanket burrito. Carlos smiled slightly. Cecil slept like the dead most nights. Well, actually, the dead slept lighter than he. Carlos didn't know how many times he'd had a ghost yell at him for doing too much science in the late early hours when they were "trying to sleep. Do you think of anyone other than yourself? I swear you living are so ungrateful." Ungrateful of what he had yet to figure out. But still, Cecil slept sounder than any living or dead thing Carlos knew. There were very few ways to wake Cecil up.

Thankfully, Cecil seemed to sense something was wrong with his boyfriend and blinked awake, eyes immediately landing on Carlos, then up to were his hair was. He blinked blearily, squinting. "Did you get a haircut, Carlos? You did, didn't you?" Cecil sat up, starting to look agitated. "We talked about this! Your perfect hair, oh Carlos I-"

"Cecil, I didn't cut my hair." Carlos said, watching his boyfriend carefully. He instantly calmed, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Oh good. Then did you style it differently? I did say a new look was due for you. I mean the City Counsel does recommend one style change per year. Of course, by recommend they mean demand but you knew that."

Carlos shook his head. "Look, Cecil, I didn't do anything to my hair." He reached up a hand to run his fingers through his once existent hair but dropped it immediately, pursing his lips.

Cecil furrowed his brow and crawled out of his blanket burrito, which of course, took him no time at all. Whoever Carlos tried to detangle him from said blankets, it always took him a good hour. The blankets liked Cecil though. He didn't think they'd forgiven him since the last time he'd spilt wine over them and declared he didn't mind if it stained. It was Cecil who'd washed them, spruced them up, and folded them neatly at the base of the bed the next morning. They were still holding a grudge, but he didn't really blame them. Although waking up cold every morning knowing all blankets would migrate to Cecil out of loyalty not just because of Cecil's blanket hogging obsession was kind of depressing.

Carlos blinked back to the present when he realized Cecil was standing right in front of him, his extra five inches giving him a height advantage to view the snakes sighing contently on his head. Cecil tilted his head, a smile sliding onto his face.

"They're sooooo cute. Where'd you get them?" Cecil blinked, eyes wide and innocent. Carlos rolled his eyes, knowing Cecil was now lost in cute animal land and wouldn't listen to a word he said.

"I didn't get them. They were here when I woke up. I'm pretty sure they're attached to- Cecil!" He stepped back quickly before Cecil could touch the now slightly more active reptiles moving on his head.

"Please let me pet them Carlos! They're adorable!" Cecil reached out again and Carlos grabbed his wrist.

"Cecil, they're highly poisonous snakes! You can't just pet them like they're fluffy bunnies."

Cecil gave him a weird look. "Of course not. Bunnies have way more fur and those spiny ears you have to be careful of." Cecil's eyes wandered back to the snakes, his smile turning even more smitten. "Snakes are adorable and sweet and I just wanna pet one. Please, Carlos? Just once."

Carlos stared at his boyfriend, never ceasing to be amazed by Cecil's lack of fear of obviously dangerous things and events. He'd be lucky if he lived to be thirty at this rate.

When Cecil's smile started to drop and Carlos could feel the droopy pouting coming on, he sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Fine. Once."

Instantly, Cecil perked up. He reached out a hand, slower this time as if to make sure Carlos didn't pull away again. When he didn't, Cecil touched the nearest one's head, squealing at the contact. The snake lifted it's head, slit eyes staring into Cecil's equally strange eyes. And right when Carlos was ready to tell Cecil enough was enough. You petted the damn snake, you're good now, the snake made a _purring_ noise.

Cecil squealed again. "He likes me." Cecil said proudly, petting down the snake's back. The purring became louder, Carlos just staring incredulously at his boyfriend as the other snakes began to wake and slithered towards Cecil's hand. Cecil giggled and started petting each of them, the purring getting even louder. Carlos's eyes started to drift shut, the feeling of his snake hair being petted feeling strangely soothing. Right when his eyes began to shut, Cecil pulled back.

"See? That wasn't so bad. Have you named them yet? I think this one looks like an Albert. Can I name him Albert?"

Carlos blinked. "Uh…Cecil I'm not keeping them."

Cecil pouted. "But Carlos, they're so cute."

"I don't want snakes for hair, Cecil."

Cecil rolled his eyes. "Well no one _wants_ snakes for hair. But obviously, they chose you, so why not make the best of things? C'mon, Carlos, pleeeease?"

Carlos groaned. "Cecil-"

"At least let me name them? So I can call them something other than snake."

"…Fine."

Cecil grinned and kissed his cheek. "Thank you!" He grabbed Carlos' hand and pulled him back to the bed. Cecil pushed Carlos down on the bed and crawled around behind him, going back to petting the snakes. Carlos just chuckled softly as Cecil started to debate names with the snakes, stroking over his scalp and making cute little noises of enjoyment. He smiled. Maybe having snakes for hair wasn't so bad after all.


End file.
